The invention relates to an automatic cataphoresis apparatus which permits an examination, by cataphoretic process, of a blood serum to be achieved in an automatic manner.
A cataphoretic process is employed, for example, for the determination of protein contained in a blood serum as in hospitals. The cataphoretic determination comprises the steps of applying a blood serum, by using a pipette, in rectilinear form on the surface of a bearing film which may be formed of a sheet of cellulose acetate, electrically energizing it to form fractionated patterns of a blood serum to be examined, dyeing the film carrying the fractionated patterns of the serum with a dyeing solution comprising, e.g., Ponceau 3R dissolved in a solution of acetic acid trichloride, decolorizing regions of the film other than the fractionated patterns in a solution of acetic acid, drying it, and rendering it clear by immersion in a clearing liquid such as fluid parrafin before conducting a quantitative analysis with a colorimeter. In the prior art practice, all of these steps have been effected manually, resulting in a very inefficient operation. In addition the application of a blood serum to the film requires a high level of skill since an accurate determination result cannot be obtained unless the serum is applied in the form of a thin line of uniform width. In addition, the results obtained may vary from operator to operator even though experienced operators apply the serum. The same applies to other operations of the cataphoretic process beyond the application of the blood serum.